Category: Uncategorized

COMPONENTS of a pipe bomb, a revolver, a round of ammunition and cannabis resin were seized during a major operation involving 30 gardai in Shannon last Thursday evening.

Gardai believe there were plans to assemble a bomb and it would be launched in Limerick, as part of feud-related activity. The items were found during searches of two rented houses in the Drumgeely area of Shannon – one at Slaney Park and the other at Fergus Road.

The revolver was found concealed in a hedge at the back of one of the houses and was, like all the other items taken, sent for technical exam- ination to garda headquarters. The amount of drugs found at the scene was understood to be small.

A 27-year-old Limerick native was arrested at the scene and was taken to Ennis Garda Station for question- ing. Several other people were in the houses at the time of the operation, but no-one else was arrested. The suspect was later released without charge and a file is being prepared for

the Director of Public Prosecutions, who will decide whether charges will be brought.

The searches were carried out as part of a massive garda operation, 1n- vestigating criminal activity in Lim- erick and Shannon. Thirty gardai – from Ennis, Shannon and the re- gional armed support unit – were in- volved in the operation.

“What we found was component parts so there was no danger to any persons.

“We suspect it would be going in to Limerick, when assembled,” said a

Garda spokesman.

The house at Slaney Park was pre- served overnight and further search- es were carried out there on Friday. However, nothing of evidential nature was recovered the following day.

This operation follows several complaints from members of the public in Shannon about activity in a number of rented houses in the town over the past number of weeks.

Gardai have been monitoring the situation and say their investigations into last Thursday’s operation are continuing.

THESE 16 exclusive and very luxu- rious detached houses in Blackwater are marketed as ‘bespoke’ proper- ties, in other words all of the proper- ties are totally unique and tailored to each individual client.

According to the developer Seamus Danagher “We deliver the highest level of workmanship which is per- sonally supervised from inception to

completion”’.

The exclusive development is situ- ated in a sylvan setting, close to all amenities and within a few minutes drive of Limerick city. It is also with- in easy access of the N7 for those traveling regularly to Dublin.

Selling agent Lisa Kearney of Rooney Auctioneers, Limerick com- mented, “We are confident that this exclusive development will spark the imagination of potential buyers and

demonstrate that a Springhill be- spoke property is the perfect choice for their new home”.

Buyers can choose from a four or five bedroom option, each with sig- nificant, well appointed living ac- commodation.

These houses offer a real sense of presence and substance. The highly impressive exterior of each house is matched by the equally stylish inte- ule)e

“The houses deliver a_ definite “wow factor’, said Lisa, who added, “while the finishing touches differ with each individual property, own- ers can expect Georgian style sliding sash timber windows, external and internal solid wood doors and hard- wood fascia and soffits.

“They come with solar panels and old style slate and ridge tiled roof. A cobble lock driveway, with in-set up- lighters, and paved patio are includ-

ed, plus the lawns are seeded”.

Apart from the super high standard finishes, the houses can then be fitted out to the requirements of the indi- vidual buyer.

The show house has just opened, viewing of which is by appoint- ment only through selling agent Lisa Kearney of Rooney Auctioneers, Limerick. You can contact them by ringing 061 413511 or by email at lkearney@rooneys.eu.

THE MODELS who will be strut- ting their stuff on the catwalk for a fashion fund-raiser next month get out of bed for way less than 5,000 dollars a day.

In fact, the teams, parents and pals of the Smith O’Brien minors would be happy to get €5,000 between them for the efforts on the night.

The fun fashion event is to raise money to help fund the activities of the busy minors, who have 120 play- ers from under-6 up and who have a team in every age bracket in the county competitions.

The fashion extravaganza, which

will be launched tonight and held on Friday, November 14 in the Lakeside Hotel in Ballina is the first run by the committee but, they hope, not the last.

‘The boutiques and shoe shops and the businesses in Killaloe and Balli- na have given us fabulous support”, said committee member, Antoinette RAVEN

Outside of Killaloe, boutiques in Nenagh and Scariff and a depart- ment store in Limerick have all come on board.

“They are supporting us by show- ing clothes on the night and every one of them has donated a spot prize – they’ve been fantastic’, Antoinette

said.

Supervalu has sponsored a cheese and wine reception to get everyone in the mood on the night and a beau- tician, hairdresser and two boutiques have offered their service and two €100 clothes vouchers for a make- over for two lucky people on the vbr al

“There will be boxes around the town in the shops and anyone who would like a makeover has to fill in a form and leave it in the box. We’ll have a draw for two names and they will have things like hair cuts and colouring done in advance with styl- ing, beauty treatments and clothes picked for them on the night when

they will show the ‘before and afters’ at the show’’, said Antoinette. There will be plenty of spot prizes, includ- ing funkiest handbag and wackiest heels

As well as raising money, the com- mittee are hoping that the show will prove to be a great social night and a lot of fun.

‘Because this is the first time we have done anything like this, we have no idea how much money it might raise. €5,000 would be great but we just don’t know yet. The main thing is we hope people will come along and support it and have a great time. It should be a fabulous night’, said Antoinette.

THERE was at least one wag in Hen- nessy Memorial Park on Sunday — wag in the sense of the dictionary meaning of the word that is (he or she who gossips about something as opposed to wives or girlfriends).

This wag spoke about the Kilmihil backroom team for 2008. He was ob- viously in Michael Cusacks’ corner because when leaving the ground after the ballgame was over he re- marked: “look at them, they’re like the League of Nations with who they have over them”.

Of course, it’s not the first time that the term has been used in Clare — they said it about the famous Ennis

Faughs team of the 1940s and ‘50s; they even said it about the last Lis- cannor team to win a senior champi- onship in 1940.

And, it’s true that the Kilmihil backroom team takes in a few differ- ent counties. Manager Mick Darby is an Offaly man; trainer/coach Dave Loughman is Cork; his sidekick John Hickey is Kerry.

Tommy Lyons, not to be con- fused with the Mayoman of Offaly and Dublin renown is Moneypoint man like Darby. That leaves local man Michael Keating – the veteran of many a battle for Kilmihil. You know where the disgruntled Michael Cusack’s man got his League of Na- tions from though.

It was very harsh though — Darby is as much Kilmihil as Rhode in Of- faly. Anyway, it’s the players out on the field that won this county final on the day, not the coalition of far-flung football minds off it.

Darby said as much as everyone around him started to celebrate. ““We started training on January 8. We have ten months done at this stage. All credit to the players. They put a fantastic effort in all year. This 1s their they day, they have been abso- lutely brilliant.

“They bonded hugely. They were going to stay working together for each other as a unit. They weren’t go- ing to lie down.

“The big thing that wins final is

character and I think the players showed a lot of that out there today,” he added.

Sure, it was too close for comfort near the end as Cusack’s ate into Kilmihil’s four-point lead, but ac- cording to Darby it was never going to be any other way.

“There was very little in it. It was very close. It was a dour battle and a battle all the way. The football was heavy going — there was nothing free, nothing easy given and we were just lucky to come out of it in the end.

“Cusack’s don’t give up. I said it during the week. They battled with 14 men against Clondegad. We knew this was never going to be over until the last whistle. They were going to

be fighting right to the end.”

And, what of the future, after an intermediate title was brought to the parish for the first time since Caher- murphy won the title 50 years ago. Senior for 2009; back to where eve- ryone in Kilmihil feels they belong.

‘I hope they set a standard for our club for the future,” said Darby. “To even have a chance of success that’s the standard that has to be main- tained and nothing less will do. Be- fore today we were trying to hammer home to them that in the last two years we’ve been together for about five and a half months in total. That’s a huge effort and it was worth every bit of it to win. This is a day these lads will never forget.”

A BALLOT of workers at Aer Lingus which would mandate their union, SIPTU, to take industrial action over plans to outsource jobs is expected to take at least two weeks.

As 280 workers at Shannon con- template their future, the union is sending ballot papers to each and every member in a bid to get a large

turn-out and a strong mandate for ac- tion.

Unions SIPTU and IMPACT have both pledged to fight the plan which would see the axing and outsourcing of 1,500 jobs nationwide.

Meanwhile, preliminary contact on the plan is believed to have been made between Aer Lingus manage- ment and SIPTU but both sides have agreed on a media black-out on any

talks for the present.

It’s expected that union members will overwhelmingly mandate their representatives to declare industrial action if talks fail to reach a resolu- tion on the plan which aims to save the company €74 million.

Management wants the bulk of that saving – €50 million – to come from a reduction in staff costs.

SIPTU’s Tony Carroll said that a

written agreement exists between the company and the unions barring all outsourcing until after 2010. The detail of this agreement is now being examined, he said.

“It was agreed in 2006 as part of the charter of fundamental rights for workers in Aer Lingus at the time of the privatisation,’ he said.

Meanwhile, IMPACT spokeswom- an, Christina Carney said that the

proposals are not acceptable. “Not for the first time, Aer Lingus have turned to their workers and asked them to carry the burden. But at this time, the company have set out proposals which could see Irish jobs shipped to the US during a period of ACTS (Oe

‘To export jobs during a recession is unacceptable and we will fight any attempt to do that.”

INCREASED numbers of burgla- ries in a rural part of north Clare has prompted the community alert scheme to increase its profile locally.

The community alert programme in the Turlough/Belharbour/Newquay area was set up 20 years ago. Over the years it had lost its impetus but it

regrouped almost 10 years ago.

There is significant concern that elderly people living alone are being targeted by travelling criminals who prey on them and take their money and any valuables they own. Con- men also call to their hopes, under the pretence that they are carrying out work, but their only interest is robbing them.

Secretary of the group, Margaret Healy said the increased number of break-ins prompted the scheme to 1n- crease its profile in the local area.

“There was a lot of break-ins; peo- ple going around to elderly people. It started from there. We have it both ways – burglaries and conmen call- ing,” she said.

“Everyone in the community has

wised up a lot. If a strange car is seen, the local guards will be called. It is a full community-based thing,’ said Ms Healy.

The nearest town to Turlough – which has been hit over the summer – is Gort and that is 15 miles away, while Ennistymon is 18 miles away. Given their rural location, it 1s cru- cial that residents are in regular con- tact, with a particular focus on those UaiauetcareDleyatee

“There are a lot of elderly people living in the area. It is gone to the stage you are not safe living on your own. It is seriously important to keep an eye out on your neighbours. Eve- rybody needs to be alert. The guards have no power unless the people in the village help out,” said Ms Healy.

The community alert meetings take place regularly, where issues of con- cern in the locality are discussed.

‘People can’t be as trustworthy as they were one time. All we can do is thrash out what we know. There is no solution,’ she added.

The secretary of the community alert group in the area Fergal Lang- ley said there is huge concern that the burglaries are occurring during the daytime and criminals are watching their targets.

SUCCESS is being savoured by Tuamgraney-based company, Wil- de Irish Chocolates. Judges at the SHOP EXPO 2008 in the RDS went just wild about Wilde and presented them with a Commendation Award for their Artisan Chocolate Bar range in the Best Confectionery Product of the Show category.

Patricia Farrell from Wilde’s said it was “a wonderful boost to get an award for making great tasting chocolates, but it’s also thrilling to be commended by such a prestig- ious and influential judging panel as

presided over the SHOP 08 competi- ntoyn a

She said she wanted to express thanks “to Clare County Enterprise Board who’s support was crucial to our participation in the event”.

SHOP has become Ireland’s an- nual retail food, and drink event and the Product of the Show Awards are renowned for showcasing the lat- est and most innovative products in the Irish food industry. The judging panel are experts in their field and in- clude senior buyers from Tesco and Musgraves. Judging this year took place over several weeks in London, Hampshire and at the Guild head-

quarters in Wincanton. Irish entries were judged over three days in Bel- el

Wilde Irish Chocolates won the commendation for their artisan range of seven different milk, dark and white chocolate bars.

This is not the only award that the east Clare company has won this year. Wilde Irish achieved a Great Taste Gold, “the Oscars of Fine Food” for their Toasted Almond and Orange Dark Chocolate Artisan Bar. They have also again been recom- mended by the Bridgestone Guide and since this year are members of Good Food Ireland.

Wilde Irish Chocolates have been making chocolates in Tuamgraney since 1997. They have won many awards for their chocolate since then and their chocolate bars, gift collec- tions and chocolate treats are availa- ble from the factory shop, their farm- ers market stalls at Killaloe, Nenagh and Limerick and from selected out- lets in Clare and the mid-west

A MAJOR sports and coaching sem- inar will take place in the new con- ference facilities at Thomond Park on Thursday 23rd October. Kilkenny Hurling Manager, Brian Cody and Munster Rugby coach, Tony McGa- han will be among the high profile line up of speakers for the second an- nual Mid West Coaching and Team Performance Conference.

The seminar 1s aimed at everyone interested in the sports development of young people such as coaches, trainers and parents. The event is organised through the BDO Simp- son Xavier Get BACk Challenge in association with the Mid West Local Sports Partnerships.

The first running of the event was a sell out last year and this year has attracted a very high profile panel of experts to discuss advances in coach- ing, motivation and nutrition.

In addition to Brian Cody and Tony McGahan other speakers will in- clude Professor Niall Moyna, Head of School of Health and Human Per- formance in DCU and Sharon Ma- digan, Performance Nutritionist for the Olympic Council of Ireland. The event will be chaired by the Univer- sity of Limerick’s Director of Sport, David Mahedy. A panel discussion will take place with all speakers following their individual presenta- tions.

Speaking at the launch of the semi- nar, BDO Simpson Xavier Managing Partner, Brian McGann explained “the event is part of BDO Get BACk Challenge programme to raise funds to increase participation in sport among children in addition to our commitment to contributing funds to Hospice cancer care in the Mid West. One of the elements of the BDO Get BACk Challenge is help in the area of coach education across all codes throughout the region. The event is organised based on a one to ten

principle. We felt if we could com- municate to 500 coaches and they passed some nugget of information to ten children then the effect of the seminar would be to benefit SOOO bi Coleone

He added “after three years of run- ning the BDO Get BACk Challenge we will have contributed a total of €500,000 to fund Hospice cancer care throughout the Mid West, in- cluding Cahercalla Hospice, and

various programmes for children in sporting disadvantaged areas. This year we were privileged to be joined by three time Tour de France win- ner Greg LeMond in our fundrais- ing efforts demonstrating the role sport plays in contributing to such Cr Nona

The event will be hosted in the new Thomond Park conference facility which has a capacity of 500 peo- ple. John Sweeney, Coordinator of

Clare Sports Partnership explained ‘Thomond Park will be a fitting ven- ue to host some of the leading coach- ing experts in Ireland for the second hosting of this event. We are delight- ed to welcome the managers of the current Heineken European Cup and All Ireland Hurling champions in ad- dition to the nutritional adviser to the successful Irish boxers at the Olym- pics. Professor Niall Moyna was one of the most talked about speakers at

our event last year with his hugely thought provoking presentation on attitudes to children in sport.

John Sweeney added “we under- took a review of last years event and identified the key information gaps that existed for coaches in the Mid West. With the support of the BDO Get BACk Challenge we are now in a position to provide a sustained programme of coach education and access to the leading thinkers in the areas of coaching, nutrition, sports motivation and team development. The region has never had access to such a high calibre of speakers and anyone with some level of interest in sport or coaching will benefit from AAO NOD N Toa

All proceeds from the event go to the BDO Get BACk Challenge sport- ing disadvantaged fund administered by the Local Sports Partnership. The event is organised in association with a range of event partners that include AIB, Bank of Ireland, Bloxham Stockbrokers, GECAS, Doonbeg Golf Club, Hegarty Metals, Kemmy Business School UL, Leahy & Part- ners Solicitors, Limerick Southside & Northside Regeneration Agency and Sweeney McGann Solicitors.

The event is strictly admission by pre booked ticket only. Bookings can be made through the Thomond Park box office on 061 421100. Tickets are on sale at €20 each or clubs can avail of the special club offer of six tickets for a €100.

Registration starts at 7pm with the first speaker at 7.30pm sharp. Last year’s event was a complete sell out so early booking 1s advisable.

WHATEVER Kilmurry Ibrickane can do with the big ball, Newmar- ket-on-Fergus can do with the small ball.

That was the message announced to the hurling world in Cusack Park on Sunday afternoon as the storied Blues rolled back the years to when they were the most feared combina- tion in Clare hurling to reach only their second county final in 27 years with a sparkling display every bit as good as what the men from the bar- ony of Ibrickane produced against Kilkee.

Newmarket were beaten two years ago in the final by neighbours Wolfe Tones, but now the title is theirs to plunder. This was the general con- sensus of supporters leaving head- quarters after the weekend’s semi-fi- nal programme.

While Clonlara and Crusheen played out a draw in a game that only really touched the heights of qual- ity fare in a hectic finish, the Blues turned in a command performance in beating St Joseph’s Doora-Bare- field by 1-20 to 3-7.

A seven-point differential, but truth told,this was a hammering as a very disappointing St Joseph’s side only made the final scoreline look respect- able when they closed out the game with goals in the 58th and 62nd min- utes of a very one-sided encounter.

“It’s great to be in a final,” said Newmarket-on-Fergus manager D1- armuid O’ Leary afterwards. O’ Leary, who assumed the management reins at Newmarket last year after a string

of under 21 successes, is now on the cusp of delivering a senior title to the most decorated club in Clare for the first time in nearly three decades.

Newmarket won the last of their 22 titles in 1981, but O’Leary, mind- ful of the club’s failure to deliver in the 2006 final and the quarter-final against Tulla last year was taking nothing for granted.

‘“There’s no medals for today,” he warned as the reflected on his side’s best display of they year.

Meanwhile, Newmarket will have to wait until next Saturday to know who their county final opponents will be, after Crusheen and Clonlara drew 1-10 apiece in Saturday’s open- ing semi-final.

“We’re still in it,’ said Crusheen manager Stephen Cunningham after his side came from five points adrift in the closing eight minutes to win another day out.

“With three minutes to go we should have gone on and won, but we let it slip,’ said Cunningham’s coun- terpart Jim Gully. “But when they got the goal we showed great character to come back to get the equaliser.”

If Newmarket play Crusheen in the final it will be a repeat of the 1974 decider, which the Blues won on a scoreline of 1-6 to 2-2.

A Clonlara/Newmarket final would be their first final match-up since the East Clare final of 1936 that doubled as a county semi-final.

The Blues won that day.

THE increased availability of co- caine and heroin across Clare is a major concern for gardai tackling the spread of drugs.

Gardai have voiced the concerns in the wake of what they describe as a significant seizure of heroin in Ennis last week. More than €5,000 worth of the drug was seized during the search of an apartment, as part of a major garda operation last Wednes- day night.

A 28-year-old man was questioned and a file is being prepared for the Director of Public Prosecutions, who will decide if charges are to be brought.

Two weeks ago, a kilo of cannabis was seized during the search of a car on the outskirts of Ennis. It was part of an operation that also involved the search of a house in Ennis.

Gardai say that the availability of significant quantities of heroin in- dicate that there 1s a demand for it in Clare and they have pledged to

tackle this. The numbers of seizures of drugs in the county has increased significantly over the past few years. This is due to an increase in detec- tion rates, allied to the increased de- mand for drugs.

Gardai are concerned that the in- creased use of drugs is connected to violent incidents and crime such as eluted tN lone

“T am concerned about that. One would have to be concerned when people get addicted to drugs. They are desperate for money,” said Supt

John Scanlan.

Although cannabis remains the most popular drug in the county, gardai have noticed that cocaine, heroin and ecstacy are freely avail- able.

“It gets publicity on the back of a prominent death, but it is a continu- ous thing. Cannabis still tends to be the drug of choice. The problem with cannabis is that young people thing it is not addictive. This myth that can- nabis isn’t harmful has been blown out of the water,’ he added.